Thank you, Fall 2021 Practicum Students

This fall, we had the pleasure of welcoming practicums students from the Canadian Mennonite University, University of Winnipeg, Global College, and the University of Manitoba. These practicum students have completed various human rights projects throughout their time with us. We thank each practicum student for their contribution to MARL. Take a moment and get to know our Fall 2021 practicum students.

Jacee Forsythe

“There are no passengers on spaceship Earth. We are all crew.” –Marshall McLuhan.

My name is Jacee Forsythe. I am a daughter, a sister, a singer, a gardener, and human rights student at the University of Winnipeg. I am a Winnipegger but have lived in Quintana Roo, Mexico, half the time with my family since nine years old.

Inspired by my mother, I have been interested in human rights and social justice since I can remember. Over the years, I have engaged with social justice in various ways, including working with youth, attending workshops, exploring curriculum creation, and volunteering with multiple organizations. I decided to pursue a Human Rights degree after being introduced to women’s and gender studies in an academic setting for the first time. After that experience, I had a heightened awareness of injustice and started to see how injustices connect, multiply, and manifest in everyday life. I wanted to develop my understanding of human rights because I saw these fundamental freedoms as integral to the fight for social justice, gender equality, queer rights, and anti-racism. My interest in human rights education has only grown, and this is why I was drawn to doing my practicum at MARL.

Post-graduation, I would like to continue developing the field of human rights education. Using my experience of having lived in two very different and multi-cultural parts of the world, I want to explore how to diversify global understandings of what human rights can be. My background has taught me patience, understanding, and how to learn in different environments, from different people, and in different ways. This has helped me apply new ideas in my education and helped me feel comfortable approaching new situations, making the leap between concepts taught in school and real-life application of human rights clear.

I have always been lucky to feel supported in my learning and have rights and responsibilities incorporated into my education. It has made me who I am now. Engaging with others through education and helping enable a chain reaction of growing rights awareness is where I see myself in the future. I think MARL is a fantastic organization to engage with and develop these ideas for my practicum, and I am delighted to be in the place to do it.

Hannah Drudge

My name is Hannah Drudge, and I am in my fifth and final year of an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Society, and Environment at the Canadian Mennonite University. My degree combines the traditional disciplines of philosophy, history, and political studies with feminism and environmental studies. My degree has allowed me to chart my academic path in a way that combines my varied interests, such as human rights, politics, and much more. 

My interest in human rights is rooted in my passion for social and climate justice, in addition to intersectional eco-feminism. After my undergraduate degree, I plan to go to law school in hopes of making legal services more accessible. I am also passionate about Canadian politics and educating people about the democratic process. In the future, I am interested in a career as a communications professional for politicians and helping to strengthen and further diversify progressive voices in Canada’s political system.

Regarding recent job experience, working with children has comprised a large portion of my professional experience. I enjoy working with kids and am devoted to providing kids with a safe environment to explore, growl, and learn about themselves and the world. My greatest goal in life is to be a mother and help raise the next generation of empathetic and caring humans.

I was raised in Southern Manitoba but have lived in Winnipeg for the past five years. Beyond my professional and academic interests, I love baking, interior design, and musical theatre.

Jacilyn Moreau

My name is Jacilyn Moreau, and I am in my fourth and final year of the Conflict Resolution Studies (CRS) Program with Menno Simmons College at the University of Winnipeg. I have always had a passion for helping people. I have volunteered with different organizations throughout my life, including Harvest Manitoba, Manitobans for Human Rights, and the Health Sciences Center. During COVID-19, as I am an avid sewer, my twin sister and I made masks for family members and friends. I have worked as a STEP Student with Employment and Income Assistance (EIA) for three years.

I am pursuing a four-year degree in CRS because it combines my enthusiasm for helping others with my desire to become a caseworker with EIA. While completing my CRS degree, I have taken various courses to learn and expand my conflict resolution skills. I believe this CRS degree has provided me with the knowledge and abilities to help others in my STEP Student position by understanding the diverse perspectives of conflicting parties and applying techniques to work towards resolving the shared conflict.  

During my practicum placement with MARL, my goal is to utilize my CRS skills and share my knowledge with others. As a practicum student, I would like to be a part of MARL’s educational programming and help fulfill one of the guiding principles of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada towards achieving reconciliation. 

Diana Anthony Ubokudom

Hello, my name is Diana Anthony Ubokudom. I am currently pursuing a Master’s in Human Rights at the University of Manitoba. I am originally from Southern Nigeria and have been privileged to call Winnipeg home for nearly eight years. 

I completed my undergraduate degree in Criminology, where I was exposed to the complex relationship between law and society. 

Though I did not start out studying Human Rights, I have always hated injustice towards marginalized people. My undergraduate term papers often focused on racial bias, gender discrimination, and law’s selective application. However, at the time, I did not connect these ideas to the general concept of human rights. During my academic journey, I have examined various research interests, including the underrepresentation of Black and Indigenous people on juries in Canada and the United States and the International Criminal Court’s relationship with Africa. 

I first came across the MARL website searching for Winnipeg-based organizations involved in human rights awareness through community engagement. I am excited to be completing my practicum here, given the intersection between my research interests and MARL’s work. As I undertake this practicum, my goal is to understand how marginalized individuals—especially those living in rural areas—can be educated about their human rights.

My ultimate career ambition is to work with the United Nations as a human rights officer to bring awareness to human rights violations, facilitate the investigation and prosecution of human rights violators, and ensure human rights for all individuals, regardless of race, class, or sexuality. 

Bea Basaran

Whenever I introduce myself, I cannot help but wonder about who I am as a person. These thoughts often lead me to reflect on my experiences in different roles and with different people – which have influenced me to become who I am and whom I aspire to be. 

My name is Bea (Bey-Ah), I use she/her pronouns. I am a first-generation Filipino immigrant, and Winnipeg became my home in first grade. I am a fourth-year human rights and sociology student from the University of Winnipeg, and I am working to become a human rights lawyer. 

The first couple of years in Winnipeg, I was a shy kid scared to speak as my first language was not English. Since then, I have had social roles that have influenced me to become the outspoken person I am today. I participate in the Global College Student Advisory Committee and the BIPOC Advisory Committee at MARL. I am currently the Vice President of Communications for the University of Winnipeg Golden Key Chapter. 

Communication and critical thinking are vital tools in every aspect of life, and I have learned their significance in my studies. Through communication, we develop critical thinking and ethics, which are the foundations of almost everything in our world. 

I chose to do my practicum at MARL because of their dedication to promoting human rights. During my practicum, one of my projects is to build a resource guide to help educators develop critical and ethical thinking skills amongst students. This resource will advocate for social change and human rights because these skills instilled in children will help create an awareness of others and the community.

I look forward to working with MARL in developing these important skills in young students so that they too can learn in their communication with others.